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Ross and Wiles Join Downhill Starters

by

USSA

2014-02-08 07:42

Laurenne Ross and Jackie Wiles (pictured) earned downhill starts in their third and final downhill training run Saturday at the Rosa Khutor Olympic venue and will be joining Stacey Cook and Julia Mancuso in the Feb. 12 downhill. (Getty Images/Clive Rose)

ROSA KHUTOR, Russia (Feb. 8) – Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) earned a downhill start by finishing fifth in her third and final downhill training run Saturday at the Sochi Olympic venue. U.S. Ski Team Rookie Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) finished fourth, and, despite missing a gate high on the run, she earned her career first Olympic start for the Feb. 12 downhill medal event. A super combined will be staged on Monday Feb. 10. Starting the race will be Mancuso, Cook, Ross and Smith. Stream the women’s super combined live at 2:00 a.m. EST Sunday on NBCOlympics.com or watch it on NBC’s prime time Olympic coverage at 8:00 p.m. EST Sunday.

HIGHLIGHTS

Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) earned a downhill start by finishing fifth in her third and final downhill training run Saturday at the Sochi Olympic venue.

U.S. Ski Team Rookie Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) finished fourth, and, despite missing a gate high on the run, she earned her career first Olympic start for the Feb. 12 downhill medal event.

Three-time Olympian Stacey Cook (Mammoth Mountain, CA), who has been consistent in all three runs, was right behind Ross in sixth.

Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA), who along with Cook earned a downhill start before the Olympics, finished eighth.

A downhill training run is scheduled Sunday, but no Team USA women will start. They will instead take a rest day in anticipation of Monday’s super combined.

A super combined will be staged on Monday Feb. 10. Starting the race will be Mancuso, Cook, Ross and Smith.

Stream the women’s super combined live at 2:00 a.m. EST Sunday on NBCOlympics.com or watch it on NBC’s prime time Olympic coverage at 8:00 p.m. EST Sunday.

QUOTESJackie WilesI came out of the start charging, but the third gate came up — there were a couple bumps. I didn’t stand over it enough, wasn’t in the best position possible and it kind of went out from under me. I wasn’t able to make the next right-footed double. But that kind of lit something in me after that, so I just sent it. It's been my dream to race in the Olympics, so this is really, really big.

Laurenne RossI’m feeling a lot better on my skis. I’m feeling confident. I’m really liking this hard snow, enjoying the ice. Being a part of the downhill team will mean a lot to me. Racing the downhill at the Olympics is something that I’ve always looked forward to.